Tor Publishing Group

Overview

Created in 1980 by Tom Doherty, Tor Publishing Group began with a focus on the genre of fantasy and science fiction. With the expansion of various imprints, Tor Publishing Group now houses a variety of genres. Some of these include, romance, horror, contemporary fiction, thrillers, and mysteries.

With this expansion in published genres, Tor Publishing Group has been able to successfully grow a welcoming environment in which authors can not only receive many opportunities but get a chance to grow their voice, accomplishing the goal they set out to do.

Former president and founder of Tor Publishing Group, Tom Doherty

History & Mission Statement

Tom Doherty has both an accomplishing and impressive career in the publishing field that directly lead to the foundation of the prominent and major publishing house that is now Tor Publishing Group. Over the span of his career Doherty worked for various publications such as, Select Magazines, Simon & Schuster, Grosset & Dunlap and Ace Books. After working for a few years at Ace Books, Doherty left his position bringing some of his fellow coworkers along with him, with the goal of creating his own publishing house. With the vision of a publishing house whose focus was on science fiction and fantasy, Doherty successfully founded Tom Doherty Associates in 1980, now known as Tor Publishing Group.

Mission Statement

Tor Publishing Group strives to be an environment in which all genres can have a voice. Their goal is to not only provide authors with many opportunities but to allow their voices to both grow and be heard in any and all genres. The manner in which this goal is achieved varies with each imprint and their individual mission statements.

Structure

Tor Publishing Group is owned by the larger and international books seller, Macmillan Publishers. Tor Publishing Group is one of the eight U.S. divisions under Macmillan. Though Tor Publishing Group has its own president and staff, Macmillan oversees and operates Tor Publishing Group. With Macmillan Publishers being one of the Big 5 publishing houses, Tor Publishing Group is a well sized company with a variety of employees spanning all six imprints.

Current president and publisher of Tor Publishing Group, Devi Pillai

Staff

Devi Pillai

Devi Pillai became the president of Tor Publishing Group in April 2021 after Doherty stepped down. In addition to this position, Pillai maintains the role as publisher. Her career in the publishing field has spanned almost thirty years in which she has worked for publishing houses such as, Hachette Book Group, Orbit Books, and Warner Books which falls under the publishing house named Time Warner Book Group. Within these publishing houses Pillai has held positions such as executive and senior editor, allowing her to work with a variety of authors and pieces of science fiction and fantasy, which Tor Publishing Group focuses on. Beginning her Tor career in 2016 as publisher, Pillai worked on publications of major authors such as V.E. Schwab, and currently works for well known authors such as Brandon Sanderson and Christopher Paolini. Though beginning her Tor career as associate publisher Pillai quickly worked her way up the corporate latter, becoming vice president in 2018 and later president in 2021.

Monique Patterson

Vice president and editorial director of Bramble, an imprint of Tor Publishing Group, Monique Patterson is another notable staff member. Starting her publishing career as an assistant editor for HarperCollins Publishers, Patterson worked her way up the publishing industry becoming executive editor for publishing houses such as, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Publishers. While Patterson has nearly thirty years of experience in the publishing industry, she specializes in the genre of romance, which Bramble entirely focuses on.

Bella Pagan

Bella Pagan is currently publisher for Tor Publishing Group's imprint Tor Books in the UK. Her career with Tor began in 2015 starting with the position of editor director and later publishing director. Some of the major authors she has worked for are Cassandra Clarke, Alix E. Harrow, Olivie Blake, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and more. Leading up to her role in Tor Books, Pagan worked for Little Brown Book Group in London, in which she held positions such as commissioning editor.

Gillian Green

Gillian Green began her publishing career with Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishing, in 2021. She currently holds the position of publisher for Bramble and Nightfire, which are two of Tor's imprints. Before joining Tor Publishing Group, Green worked as fiction publishing director at Penguin Random House UK. Through this role Green was able to successfully launch and commission best selling books such as The Librarian of Auschwitz. The authors Green currently works for are, K.A. Linde, TJ Klune, Carissa Broadbent, and more.

Other Staff Members

Other staff members that are perhaps lesser known are editorial director Sophia Robinson, editorial assistants Abbie Gibb and Sophia Flesher, and editor Michael Beale. Sophia Robinson is currently the editorial director of Tor Books and Nightfire. Some of the authors she currently works for are Lucy Holland, Ann Liang, and Freya Marske. Both editorial assistants Abbie Gibb and Sophia Flesher work closely with the rest of the staff such as publisher Bella Pagan. Some of the authors they have worked with include Carissa Broadbent, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Olivie Blake.

Finances

While there isn't any extensive financial information regarding Tor Publishing Group, an assessment on their financial health can still be made. That is, considering their various bestselling authors and the recent expansion of their imprints, it is clear that Tor Publishing Group is growing financially. Furthermore, Macmillan Publishing, the owner of Tor Publishing Group, as of 2024 has been having record-breaking sales numbers. In fact, Macmillan's sales in 2024 went up nearly 20%, showing the success that this publishing house has had. While there are various imprints under Macmillan, Tor Publishing Group and their imprints, especially the recent creation of Bramble, has played a role in the financial success of both publishing groups.

Vice president and editorial director Monique Patterson, of Tor Publishing Group's latest imprint Bramble.

News

After being named Tom Doherty Associates for almost forty years, new president Devi Pillai changed the name to Tor Publishing Group. With the growth and advancement of Tor in which a variety of genres, not just fantasy and science fiction are published, Pillai decided it was time for a new name which communicated this message. As Pillai stated, "the Tor name will now stand for quality in various types of genre publishing, with each imprint representing a distinct voice."

In 2023, Tor Publishing Group created the new imprint Bramble, which is tailored for modern readers through a wide variety of romantic stories. Tor Publishing Group announced the creation of Bramble on Valentine's Day, making it the perfect news for romance lovers. Along with this announcement president Devi Pillai announced that Monique Patterson would be joining Tor Publishing Group as Vice President and Editorial Director of Bramble.

Imprints

Within Tor Publishing Group there are six imprints. Each imprint has a slightly different goal or purpose which directly connects to Tor Publishing Group's mission statement on allowing authors to grow both their voice and opportunities. With each imprint also comes different specialized genres. These imprints include Tor Books, Forge Books, Bramble, Tordotcom Publishing, Nightfire, and Tor Teen/Starscape. These imprints also show the vast catalog of subjects and genres which Tor Publishing Group as a whole sells.

Logo of Tor Books

Tor Books

With their goal of including more diverse authors, Tor Books as a wide range of published science fiction and fantasy books. As their mission statement says, they strive to "publish out-of-this-world genre fiction and bring readers books that fuel imagination." While located in New York City, there is also a base in the UK, further expanding their list of authors. Some of their notable authors include Holly Black, Olivie Blake, V.E. Schwab, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Sung-il Kim.

Forge Books

Forge Books focuses on publishing commercial reads, or works that appeal to a wide range of audiences. Forge Books looks for pieces of fiction which can of course span a wide range of genres. This can induce genres such as thrillers, mysteries, history, fantasy and science fiction, which crosses over with its sister imprint Tor Books. Much like Tor Books, Forge Book strives to have a wide range of diverse authors and works, showing the level of inclusivity that Tor Publishing Group as a whole strives to obtain. Some Forge Books authors include Spencer Quinn, Rita Woods, Ward Larsen, and more.

Logo of Bramble, Tor Publishing Group's newest imprint

Bramble

Founded in 2023, Bramble is the newest imprint of Tor Publishing Group. Bramble's target audience is the modern reader which is achieved through its focus on romance books. Bramble believes that whether it be science fiction, fantasy or contemporary fiction, romance is found everywhere, showing the importance of publishing this genre. Some titles and authors under this imprint are The Serpent & The Wings Night and Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent, Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne, and The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch.

Tordotcom Publishing

As their mission statement says, they are dedicated to publishing "cutting-edge and experimental speculative publishing." Some of the major authors included in this imprint are George R.R. Martin, Paul Cornell, Martha Wells, and K.J. Parker. Forge Books includes many best-selling and even critically-acclaimed novels in addition to being renowned for their publishing of novella sized books. From their publication of series, standalones, and novellas, Forge Books strives to "deliver stories at their right length."

Nightfire

Tor Teen/Starscape logo

Whether it be modern classics, novellas, series or standalones, Nightfire focuses on the genre of horror. Nightfire strives to be a community for all readers and lovers of horror as well as writers of this genre. Some recent releases under Nightfire include Black Flame by Gretchen Felker-Martin and What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher.

Tor Teen/Starscape

Tor Teen/Starscape specializes in teen and kids fiction. With this target audience in mind, Tor Teen has made it their goal for teens and kids to grow a love and enthusiasm for reading. Some of their newest releases include Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold by P. Djèlí Clark and Jasmine is Haunted by Mark Oshiro.

Notable Authors and Titles

With the growth of imprints and genres, Tor Publishing Group has various well known titles and authors. These widely known authors span genres and stories, connecting back to Tor Publishing Group's goal of allowing a multitude of diverse voices to be heard.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson

As a science fiction and fantasy writer, Tor Books, whose focus is on these very genres, was the right publishing house for Sanderson. With an expansive and wide amount of books, all with their own unique and complex worlds and characters, Sanderson's books fuel one's imagination, aligning with Tor Books mission statement. Some of these unique stores include, internationally bestselling Mistborn Series, The Wax and Wayne Series (which follows the aftermath of the Mistborn series), Tress of the Emerald Sea, and most recently released, Wind and Truth, the fifth book in the epic fantasy series The Stormlight Archives.

George R.R. Martin

Winner of various awards such as the World Fantasy Award, internationally acclaimed author George R.R. Martin is another notable author under Tor Publishing Group. Though his main series, A Song of Ice and Fire, otherwise known as Game of Thrones, is not published through Tor, his editorial work on the Wild Card's Series is published through Tor Teen/Starscape. Additionally, The Ice Dragon, an illustrated novel that does connect to the world in A Song of Ice and Fire Series, will also be published under Tor Teen/Starscape within the next few years.

V.E. Schwab

As a #1 New York Times bestselling author, V.E. Schwab is another notable author under Tor Books. She has written over twenty books, each with a unique world, cast of characters, and narration style. Some of these bestselling books include, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Shades of Magic Series, and The Villain Series.

Carissa Broadbent

Bestselling author Olivie Blake

Originally a self-published author whose work gained attention on social media, Broadbent is now a traditionally published author. Her fantasy books are published through Tor Books while her more romantic fantasies are published through Bramble. Though Broadbent isn't as widely known as the perviously mentioned authors, Broadbent is an author tailored for modern readers, making her well known amongst this particular audience. Some of her books include, The War of Lost Hearts Series and the Crowns of Nyaxia Series.

Olivie Blake

Blake has various bestselling books such as The Atlas Series, One for my Enemy, and Alone with you in the Ether. While these books are all published through Tor Books, Blake's novel Januaries, a collection of short fiction stories, is published through Tordotcom.

Formats

Tor Publishing Group offers various different formats for their books. When looking at a particular novel through Tor's website, there is a section of hardcover, trade paperback, e-book, and even audiobook. It is important to note however, that these various formats all vary by book. For instance, Brandon Sanderson's latest book Wind and Truth, is available in hardback, trade paperback, audiobook, and e-book. On the other hand, one of Nightfire's novels Black Flame, is available in all formats except hardback. Therefore, though Tor Publishing Group does offer a variety of formats, the accessibility or available formats vary by book. For example, Tor offers books in physical as well as e-book collections in which the entire series is included. For instance, New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune's entire Carulean Chronicles is available on e-book. While it is not clear exactly how many authors have similar deals with Tor Publishing Group, it is evident that both digital and physical books are sold through Tor.

In regards to the cost of Tor Publishing Group's books, there are a variety of options in which to purchase them. Tor Publishing Group directly links the following stores to purchase their books, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Indigo, Target, Book-A-Million, and Bookshop.org. With the cheaper options usually being Amazon and Target, the price of a Tor Book really varies on the selected store and format. For instance, hardbacks are much more expensive than trade paperbacks. However, it can be estimated that Tor's books, including all imprints, range anywhere from $15 to $35.

Brand Identity

While Tor Publishing Group presents a wide range of book designs and covers, there is a slight consistency among these designs, specially by imprint. When looking at the cover of Tor Books, specially their new releases and coming soon categories, there is a slight trend in design. While each cover design is unique each book seems to have its text in similar locations. That is, the title and author of the novels seem to be only in a select few locations. Throughout Bramble's books, there seems to be an emphasis on the background image of the cover rather than the actual title. There are also various books that have drawings or paintings of people that look almost photo-like. This ties directly with the current trend of books covers, especially romance, in which bright and attention grabbing drawings are emphasized.

Forge Books however presents a different approach to book covers. Instead of emphasizing an image or background, Forge Books uses large and bold text, bringing emphasis to the title rather than the background. Furthermore, the background images are less attention grabbing and bold, once again bringing more emphasis to the text instead. Nightfire presents a slightly different approach, in which there isn't necessarily a stronger emphasis on either the background or text, but the use of more unique and artistic backgrounds. Tordotcom Publishing and Tor teen on the other hand, seem to have less of a consistency in book design with their covers spanning artistic drawings, plain backgrounds, bold text, and smaller text, showing less of a trend in comparison to the other imprints. With all this in mind, it is clear that Tor Publishing Group doesn't necessarily have one set design or aesthetic but instead has many designs and covers that vary by imprint, showing that they produce and support a wide range of books rather than limiting themselves to one design.

Another aspect of brand identity is website design. Tor Publishing Group's website can be seen as bold, clear, and diverse. The presentation of their website is big and bold allowing viewers to easily find and understand everything. Furthermore, when simply glancing at their page, there is a diversity of books that are presented, which directly connects to Tor's mission statement of creating a diverse and welcoming environment for both authors and readers. In other words, there is a diverse selection of books creating a space in which there is something for everyone.

Audience

Tor Publishing Groups targeted audience, in regards to authors, is quite expansive and diverse. Tor Publishing Group has strived to become a publishing house for all genres and a wide range of authors. This is shown not only through their mission statement but the various events they participate in. One of these events includes New York Comic-Con. This event usually spans multiple days in which fans of books, video games, movies, TV shows, and more get to participate in various events relating to their interests. Tor Publishing Group or more specifically Tor Books and Forge Books have participated in this event for various years, and will be participating this fall as well. From Thursday October 9th to Sunday October 12th, Tor Books and Forge Books will be holding various panels on topics such as "Science Fiction Tropes" and "Scream Reads: Books to Keep you Up at Night," and book signings with authors such as Marie Lu and Adam Christopher. Though only Tor and Forge Books will be directly participating in this event, there is a particular panel titled "Your Next Book Obsession: Spotlight on Tor Publishing Group," in which new releases and sneak peaks of books in all of Tor's imprints and genres will be spoken about.

Through New York Comic-Con and the various individual author events Tor hosts throughout the year, it is clear that Tor strives to directly communicate, meet, and engage with their audiences. Additionally, Tor Publishing Group regularly posts new releases and sneak peaks of books throughout their social media pages, such as Instagram, showing that they directly communicate with their readers and advocate and promote their authors. This also shows a level of engagement between Tor and their community, emphasizing their goal of building a welcoming community not just a customer base.

The Future of Tor Publishing Group

Though Tor Publishing Group began with Tom Doherty's vision on how science fiction and fantasy should be, it has expanded into so much more. With the extensive additions of staff members and imprints, Tor Publishing Group is a publishing house for a variety of genres, not just science fiction and fantasy. Tor Publishing Group has successfully created a welcoming environment for all authors, allowing a wide variety of stories to be released into the world. This has also allowed a wide range of readers to join the Tor community in which there is a book for everyone.

With all this in mind, the future of Tor Publishing Group is a hopeful and positive one. With their ability to adapt to the current reading environment, such as modern readers, while still maintaining their original roots, Tor Publishing Group is a publishing house for the authors and readers of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.